Police release additional Hudson Liquor video

The Topeka Police Department on Wednesday evening released additional video of the Christmas Eve robbery and assault that resulted in the death of 41-year-old clerk Matthew Hill at Hudson Liquor.

Capt. Jerry Stanley credited the initial code red, which was issued Monday, with leading to more than 60 tips and the identification of about 30 possible suspects.

He said police have made contact with about 20 of those people. Police either haven’t located or haven’t had time to run down the others. An example Stanley used was tracking down a homeless person.

“We may have already received a tip of the guy who did this,” Stanley said. “We don’t know, we’re still investigating.”

Stanley said police hope the video will help someone better recognize the man because of the assailant’s mannerisms, particularly his walk, stance and how he holds his hands.

The additional video, which is 1 minute and 8 seconds in length, shows a compliant victim opening the cash register and handing over money to the assailant. It ends before Hill was struck with a pry bar and shot with a gun.

Stanley said police consulted with family members of Hill, and received their OK, before making the video public.

Police were called at 1:43 p.m. Saturday to Hudson Liquor, 810 S.E. 15th, where they found Hill dead behind the store’s counter.

The liquor store is in the Hudson Crossing strip mall at the northeast corner of S.E. 15th and Adams, where two people survived after being shot in November in a robbery at a convenience store.

Stanley said police have saturated the area between S.E. 15th and S.E. 25th and S.E. Adams to about S.E. Indiana.

“You’ll see a lot of police cars if you go over there,” he said, before adding that “a lot of covert” operations also are taking place.

Continuing analysis of the Hudson Liquor surveillance video has determined the assailant’s height to be about 6 foot, 1 inch or 6 foot, 2 inches. The man has a thin build and is thought to weigh about 140 to 160 pounds. He was wearing a blue stocking cap and pajama pants, which had a distinct pattern.

Stanley said all available resources have been devoted to the case, and police gather to brainstorm several times a day to help bring about a resolution.

A couple of theories are that the man was intoxicated or has some sort of physical disability — he could be seen stumbling in the initially released video.

Police also believe he lives in the area because he was on foot and not moving particularly fast.

Stanley said he has been “really satisfied” with the public’s response to the code red and subsequent tips, but again he urged people to be forthcoming with any information regarding the case.

The public may call Detective George Henley at 368-9491, Sgt. Rich Volle at 368-9414, Crime Stoppers at 234-007 or Stanley at (785) 368-9414.

Corey Jones can be reachedat (785) 295-5612or corey.jones@cjonline.com. Follow him on Twitter @CoJo_86.

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